Home Office

Immigration: Software

Baroness Hamwee: To ask His Majesty's Government whether any systems or software supplied by Fujitsu are used inthe process of determiningimmigration status.

Lord Sharpe of Epsom: Fujitsu do not supply the Home Office with any systems or software used in determining immigration status.

Immigration: Migrant Workers

Lord Taylor of Warwick: To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to reducenet migration while maintaining access to skilled workers in critical sectors.

Lord Sharpe of Epsom: Skilled workers will continue to have access to the full range of routes available on the Points Based System. Details of the net migration measures announced in December are available here: https://homeofficemedia.blog.gov.uk/2024/02/01/reducing-net-migration-factsheet-december-2023/.

Asylum: Mental Health Services

Baroness Lister of Burtersett: To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to (1) monitor the mental health of residents, and ongoing safeguarding concerns, and (2) reduce the risk of further suicides, on the Bibby Stockholm and at MDP Wethersfield; and what assessment they have made of the findings of the report Ghettoised and traumatised: the experiences of men held inquasi-detention in Wethersfield, published by the Helen Bamber Foundation and Humans for Rights Network on 15 December 2023, and their implications forhousing asylum seekers atMDP Wethersfield.

Lord Sharpe of Epsom: The welfare of asylum seekers is our utmost priority. The Home Office ensures that accommodation provided is adequate and meets the regulatory standards.The Home Office assesses an individual’s suitability to reside at the sites and only accommodates single adult males who are considered suitable to reside there. Guidance on the suitability criteria used can be found here: Allocation of accommodation.Each person’s suitability is assessed at regular intervals and if they are no longer suitable for any reason, they will be moved to alternative accommodation.The Home Office operates a Safeguarding Hub to support vulnerable individuals. Both the Home Office and its accommodation providers have robust processes in place to ensure that where someone is at risk, they are referred to the appropriate statutory agencies of the police, NHS, and social services, to promote appropriate safeguarding interventions.As well as making safeguarding referrals to the appropriate statutory agencies, other actions include attendance at adult protection meetings with the police and the Home Office liaise with external and internal partners to share information. The statutory agencies retain responsibility for all decisions on intervention activity.All asylum seekers in the UK may contact Migrant Help 24 hours a day, 365 days a year if they need help, advice, or guidance. This includes raising issues relating to safeguarding.

Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office

World Health Organization: Finance

Lord Strathcarron: To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made, having regard to the relative burden of disease, of thelevel of investment in the World Health Organization's pandemic agenda,relative to efforts to counter endemic diseases such as malaria, tuberculosis, and HIV/AIDS.

Lord Benyon: The UK provides the vast majority of funding to WHO as unearmarked flexible funding (£340 million in 2020-2024). Funding helps WHO deliver its General Programme of Work, supporting WHO reform and addressing UK global health priorities. This includes building resilient health systems around the world, especially in the poorest countries, and helping prevent and prepare for pandemics. Additionally, over its lifetime, the UK has been the 3rd largest contributor to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria. This funding has contributed towards saving 59 million lives, our recent pledge of £1 billion will continue to contribute to this effort.

South Asia: Elections

The Lord Bishop of St Albans: To ask His Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the governments of (1) India, and (2) Pakistan, to ensure that religious minorities are not denied their right to vote in upcoming elections in those countries.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: We regularly engage with the Government of Pakistan to advance our key priorities and interests, including upholding democracy through inclusive elections. On 19 January, I raised the need for inclusivity in the upcoming elections with Pakistan's Caretaker Foreign Minister Jalil Abbas Jilani.  On 25 September 2023, the former Foreign Secretary raised the importance of credible, inclusive and timely elections with Pakistan's Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaar-ul-haq Kakar. On 21 August, I wrote to Foreign Minister Jilani to raise concerns about the treatment of minority religious communities and underline the need to ensure all Pakistan's citizens are able to exercise their democratic rights. The British High Commission in New Delhi continues to monitor the rights of religious minorities across India, including in the context of elections.

Turkey: Religious Freedom

Lord Patten: To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the safety of UK citizens seeking to worship in Christian churches and Jewish synagogues in Turkey.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The FCDO routinely updates our travel advice, which provides guidance for British nationals on staying safe abroad, including in Turkey. Our travel advice notes that no travel can be guaranteed safe and in Turkey terrorists may target places visited by foreigners, including places of worship. The UK stands with Turkey against terrorism, and we welcome the Turkish authorities' swift response to security threats, such as the fatal shooting which took place at Santa Maria Church in Istanbul on 28 January. We support the rights of all minority groups in Turkey, including Christians and Jews.

Russia: Oil

Lord Empey: To ask His Majesty's Government whether diesel oil products imported into the UK are refined from Russian crude oil; and what assessment they have made of the impact of sanctions on such imports.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: UK sanctions targeting Russian oil revenues are designed in line with existing World Trade Organisation (WTO) non-preferential rules of origin. More specifically, if a good such as diesel is produced in two or more countries, it is subject to substantial processing requirements as stated in Section 17(3) of the Taxation (Cross-border Trade) Act 2018. In line with these rules, where Russian oil and oil products have been refined in a third country, they will only be considered Russian if the products have not been substantially processed. All importers of oil and oil products into the UK must provide proof of origin to relevant enforcement authorities, to demonstrate that goods are not of Russian origin. Our approach is in line with that taken by our partners, including the US and the EU.

Russia: Tankers

Lord Empey: To ask His Majesty's Government whether UK-based brokers are facilitating the insurance of vessels carrying Russian oil worldwide; and if so, whether they are planning to extend sanction regulations to prevent the Putin regime from funding its aggression in Ukraine assisted by UK based or controlled entities.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The oil price cap, implemented by a Coalition encompassing the UK alongside the G7 and Australia, operates globally by prohibiting UK and Coalition firms from providing services such as shipping, insurance and finance to facilitate the maritime transport of Russian oil and oil products, unless the oil was purchased at or below the price cap level. The UK has implemented a strong enforcement approach focused on prohibition, with the Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation (OFSI) responsible for civil enforcement, and HMRC and the National Crime Agency jointly considering cases which may be appropriate for criminal prosecution. The Coalition has recently acted jointly to tighten price cap compliance rules and reserves the right to take further action to ensure its effectiveness if needed.

Pakistan: Development Aid

Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask His Majesty's Government what is the current annual level of overseas aid to Pakistan; what is the projected amount allocated for 2025; and how much of this aid is tied to promoting democracy; human rights, the rule of law, the protection of minorities, and development of civil society in Pakistan.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The FCDO's Official Development Assistance (ODA) allocation for Pakistan for FY 2023-24 is £41.5 million and for 2024-25 the tentative allocation is £133 million - as shared in the FCDO's 2022-23 Annual Accounts. We prioritise our aid to achieve maximum impact for the people of Pakistan in-line with our strategic priorities, including promoting the rights of religious minorities, the rule of law and development of civil society. Exact spend for specific sectors is not yet available for 2023-24.

Jimmy Lai

Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the remarks of the UN Special Rapporteur on Torture, Dr Alice Gill Edwards' published on 31 January, regarding the alleged torture of witnesses in the ongoing Hong Kong trial of Jimmy Lai; what discussions they have held with Dr Edwards regarding her remarks; and what discussions they plan to hold with the governments of China and Hong Kong on behalf of the alleged victim.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: We are aware of media reports and a submission to the UN Special Rapporteur on Cruel, Inhumane, Degrading Treatment or Punishment alleging mistreatment of Andy Li while he was detained in mainland China. We take all allegations of torture and mistreatment very seriously and are looking into this further. Article 15 of the Convention against Torture, which China has ratified, prohibits the use of statements established to have been made as a result of torture in court proceedings. Diplomats from our Consulate-General are attending Mr Lai's court proceedings as the trial continues.

UNRWA: Finance

Baroness Janke: To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact on the people of Gaza of the decision to suspend the funding of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East.

Baroness Janke: To ask His Majesty's Government how they expect the additional humanitarian aid for Gaza that they have called for can be distributed in light of the suspension of the funding of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The UK is appalled by allegations that the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) staff were involved in the 7 October attack against Israel, a heinous act of terrorism that the UK Government has repeatedly condemned. The UK is pausing any future funding of UNRWA whilst we review these concerning allegations.However, we remain committed to getting humanitarian aid to the people in Gaza who desperately need it, and our decision to pause future funding to UNRWA has no impact on the UK's contribution to the humanitarian response. Our commitment to trebling aid to Gaza still stands and we are getting on with aid delivery through funding multiple implementing partners including other UN agencies and international and UK NGOs. This support is helping people in Gaza get food, water, shelter and medicines. The UK is providing £60 million in humanitarian assistance to support partners including the British Red Cross, UNICEF, the UN World Food Programme (WFP) and Egyptian Red Crescent Society (ERCS) to respond to critical food, fuel, water, health, shelter and security needs in Gaza.

Jimmy Lai

Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the attempt by prosecutors in Hong Kong to label foreign nationals as “co-conspirators” in the trial of Jimmy Lai; what significance they attach to the designation “co-conspirator”; and what representations they have made to the authorities in Hong Kong and Chinaregarding the “co-conspirator” designation.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: As the Minister for the Indo-Pacific said on 23 January, it is unacceptable that British nationals have been named by the prosecution in Jimmy Lai's national security trial in Hong Kong. None are named as co-conspirators on Mr Lai's charge sheet. The Minister for the Indo-Pacific has met with several of the individuals and we have made clear our concerns to the Chinese authorities. We will not tolerate any attempts to intimidate, harass or harm individuals or communities in the UK. The National Security Law has no authority in the UK and we have no active extradition agreement with Hong Kong or China.

Jerusalem: Cultural Heritage

The Lord Bishop of Southwark: To ask His Majesty's Government whether they have made representations to the government of Israel concerning the land dispute at Cows' Garden in the Armenian Quarter of Jerusalem in the Occupied Palestinian Territories; and if so, what the outcomes of those representations were.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: British officials met Armenian Community leader Hagop Djernazian in January 2024. The UK is monitoring the situation and is clear on the need to avoid any further rise in tensions. The UK's position on the status of Jerusalem is clear and long-standing: it should be determined in a negotiated settlement between the Israelis and the Palestinians, and Jerusalem should ultimately be the shared capital of the Israeli and Palestinian states. The UK is a strong supporter of Freedom of Religion or Belief (FoRB) and an advocate for the integrity of culturally important areas to be respected. The UK continues to take a strong stance against settler violence and urges Israel to take stronger action to stop settler violence and hold the perpetrators accountable.

Ian Stones

Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask His Majesty's Government when they first heard of the imprisonment of Ian James Stones in China; and what consularsupport they have provided to him.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) are unable to provide comment on this in line with relevant UK data protection legislation [Personal information charter - Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)].

Gaza: Armed Conflict

Baroness Hodgson of Abinger: To ask His Majesty's Government what discussions they have held with the government of Israel regarding the protection of civilians during the Gaza conflict.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The Foreign Secretary and the Prime Minister have reiterated the vital steps needed for a sustainable, permanent ceasefire in their contacts with Prime Minister Netanyahu and other senior Israeli political leaders, including during the Foreign Secretary's visit to Israel on 24 January. There must be a reduction in civilian casualties. All parties must act within International Humanitarian Law. We want to see Israel take greater care to limit its operations to military targets and avoid harming civilians and destroying homes.

UNRWA

Baroness Janke: To ask His Majesty's Government whether they intend to call for an immediate independent investigation into the killing of 150 staffof the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East since 7 October and suspend all trade with Israel until that investigation is complete.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The safety of humanitarian personnel and healthcare workers in Gaza is critical to enable aid to reach those who need it most. We regularly review advice about Israel's capability and commitment to International Humanitarian Law and we act in accordance with that advice. The Foreign Secretary underlined the need for Israel to take all possible measures to ensure the safety of aid and medical personnel, as well as that of medical facilities, during his visit to Israel on 24 January. Israel must ensure effective deconfliction in Gaza, ensure there are effective systems to guarantee the safety of aid convoys and humanitarian operations, and ensure the UN has the people, vehicles, equipment and fuel to distribute aid safely across Gaza.

Jerusalem: Christianity

The Lord Bishop of Southwark: To ask His Majesty's Government what discussions they have held with the government of Israel regarding the latter's plans to create a national park on the Mount of Olives; and what assessment they have made of the impact of these proposals on the Christian holy sites.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: We recognise that Jerusalem holds particular significance for many groups around the globe, especially the three Abrahamic faiths of Christianity, Islam and Judaism. We are committed to the Freedom of Religion or Belief (FoRB) for all and an advocate for the integrity of culturally important areas to be respected. A final determination of the status of Jerusalem should be sought as part of a negotiated settlement between Israelis and Palestinians. It must ensure Jerusalem is a shared capital of the Israeli and Palestinian states, with access and the religious rights of all peoples respected.

Palestinians: Curriculum

The Lord Bishop of Southwark: To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of efforts by the government of Israel to reform the curriculum of Palestinian schools in East Jerusalem.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: We regard East Jerusalem as part of the Occupied Palestinian Territories and under Israeli military occupation. We expect Israel to fulfil its obligations as the Occupying Power.

Israel: Palestinians

The Lord Bishop of Southwark: To ask His Majesty's Government what additional resources they plan to commit to support civil society organisations in Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories that are working cross-communally for peace and reconciliation.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The UK's position is clear: we are committed to making progress towards a two-state solution that guarantees security and stability for both the Israeli and Palestinian people. Since 7 October, we have announced £60 million of aid to trusted partners which will go towards helping Palestinian civilians.Development programmes in the Occupied Palestinian Territories (OPTs) work to preserve the prospect of a negotiated two-state solution and to improve the lives of Palestinians throughout the West Bank, Gaza and East Jerusalem, in line with the UK's longstanding position. Through our Empowering Palestinian Institutions and Civil Society (EPICS) programme, we have an accountable grant with AMAN (the Coalition for Integrity and Accountability), which seeks to combat corruption and promote integrity, transparency and accountability in Palestinian society. It incorporates a number of civil society organizations working in the field of democracy, human rights and good governance.The Conflict, Stability and Security Fund (CSSF) OPTs-Israel Programme also supports Tech 2 Peace, I'lam - Arab Centre for Media Freedom, Physicians for Human Rights Israel, and Project Rozana which work to support engagement and dialogue between Israelis and Palestinians, building stronger constituencies and prospects for peace. We also support local organisations such as COMET-ME who work to keep Palestinians on their land in Area C of the West Bank, protecting the viability of a two-state solution.

Burundi: Rwanda

The Lord Bishop of Durham: To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of relations between Rwanda and Burundi and the closure of the border between the two countries; and what steps they are taking to help prevent further escalation of tension in the region.

Lord Benyon: We strongly condemn violence perpetrated by all armed groups and are alarmed by the recent incursions into Burundi by the RED-Tabara armed group. We urge restraint on all sides and for all parties to work urgently towards de-escalation. The FCDO raised our concerns over the border closure with the Burundian Ambassador on 17 January. We encourage the Government of Burundi to take a measured response and underline the need for dialogue.

Israel: Palestinians

The Lord Bishop of Southwark: To ask His Majesty's Government what representationsthey have made to the government of Israel to ease its restrictions on the free movement of Palestinian people within the West Bank and from the West Bank to Israel.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: We expect Israel to fulfil its obligations as an occupying power, and we are concerned by the restrictions on the free movement of Palestinians in the West Bank. In our engagements with Israel, we have stressed to them the damage the restrictions on movement, access, and trade are doing to the living standards of ordinary Palestinians.

Israel: Palestinians

The Lord Bishop of Southwark: To ask His Majesty's Government whatassessment they have made of the impact of travel restrictions, applied by the government of Israel on the free movement of Palestinian people within the West Bank and from the West Bank to Israel, on the economy of the West Bank; and what additional financial assistance, if any, they plan to provide to mitigate its effects.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: We expect Israel to fulfil its obligations as an occupying power, and we are concerned by the restrictions on the free movement of Palestinians in the West Bank. In our engagements with Israel, we have stressed to them the damage the restrictions on movement, access, and trade are doing to the living standards of ordinary Palestinians.UK economic development programming works with the Palestinian Authority and the Government of Israel to help address the main constraints to growth, like water, energy and trade. Our work on economic development across the Occupied Palestinian Territories (OPTs) seeks to contribute towards maintaining the viability of a peaceful, negotiated two-state solution by supporting inclusive growth.

Somalia: Politics and Government

The Marquess of Lothian: To ask His Majesty's Government what is their assessment of the security situation in Somalia, including the progress of the government of Somalia’s offensive against Al-Shabaab; and whether they are working with the EU in support of the EU-Somalia Joint Operational Roadmap, adopted in May 2023.

Lord Benyon: The Federal Government of Somalia's campaign to tackle al-Shabaab (AS) has made significant progress in the past 18 months, though challenges in recent months have slowed that progress. Tackling al-Shabaab is a top UK counter-terrorism priority and we commend Somali Security Forces for their ongoing efforts. For enduring progress, the international community must support the Somali-led security sector to ensure liberated areas are stabilised.In November 2023, we signed the UK-Somalia Strategic Partnership which sets out shared, long-term objectives including support for Somalia's security sector for long-term stability. To this end, the UK engages with key partners such the EU, including in areas covered by both the UK-Somalia Strategic Partnership and the EU-Somalia Joint Operational Roadmap.

Sahel: Politics and Government

The Marquess of Lothian: To ask His Majesty's Government what is their strategy to support the central Sahel region in Africa and to assist Sahelian countries in addressing both the security challenges and longer-term structural challenges that they face.

Lord Benyon: The UK combines development, diplomatic and defence approaches to respond to the instability in the Sahel and meet the needs of the most vulnerable. Our priorities are responding to humanitarian needs, building resilience, and addressing the root causes of insecurity and poverty (including supporting democratic political transitions).  The UK does not work through military transition governments, and we have most recently suspended direct support to Niger but we continue to provide humanitarian and development assistance to the people of the Sahel. Our development support includes education and reproductive health services for women. We support regionally led efforts to prevent the spread of insecurity.

Department of Health and Social Care

Respiratory Diseases: Intensive Care

Baroness Wolf of Dulwich: To ask His Majesty's Government further to the Written Answers byLord Markham on 4 January (HL1377) and 24 January (HL1768), under a realistic worst case scenario for Risk 54 (an unmitigated respiratory pandemic) in which 1.34 million people require hospital treatment, how many (1) additional mechanical ventilators, (2) non-invasive ventilators (BiPaP), and (3) NIV continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) units, would be required in addition to those currently held by hospital intensive care units; and what would be the estimated cost, at current prices, of replacing the equipment held in the COVID Strategic Care Unit Reserve.

Lord Markham: The Department continues to plan and prepare for a range of pandemic and emerging infectious disease scenarios, including those caused by respiratory contact and vector-borne pathogens, both influenza and non-influenza related. These plans are built on lessons learned from exercises and incidents, including the COVID-19 pandemic.NHS England routinely monitor the total number of ventilators available against the number of ventilators in use. NHS England published Adult critical care surge plan guidance in December 2023 which sets out the actions to ensure capacity is mobilised at a sufficient rate to meet increases in demand. In response to any pandemic, NHS England would implement the published surge planning guidance to review capacity and demand within the current context of the situation. A copy of this guidance is attached.The Department’s COVID Strategic Intensive Care Unit Reserve was established to operate for a set lifespan in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, after which point it would close. Due to lower-than-expected demand for equipment from the stockpile by the National Health Service, the strategic pandemic intensive care unit reserve is now closing in March 2024 and there are no current plans to replace it. No estimate has been made of the cost of replacing it.Adult critical care surge plan guidance (pdf, 281.6KB)

Respiratory Syncytial Virus: Vaccination

Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick: To ask His Majesty's Government when they intend to outline atimeline for the implementation of Respiratory Syncytial Virus vaccination programmes for infants and older adults; and what plans they have to increase public awareness of the virus.

Lord Markham: The Government is engaging the market on its requirements for products that would enable Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) programmes to be implemented for infants and older adults, following advice from the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation in 2023. A final decision on these programmes will be taken following the outcome of this process. If any RSV programmes are agreed to, their implementation will be announced to the public and health professionals in due course.Whilst population wide immunisation is not currently available, the Government is increasing efforts to minimise the number of severe cases of RSV. This is currently done by a targeted immunisation offer to those known to be at highest risk of severe complications. The National Health Service has also published signs and symptoms of RSV, and advice on when parents should bring their children to seek medical attention. The UK Health Security Agency has also provided public health messaging on social, national, and regional media, highlighting the signs and symptoms of RSV and the steps that can be taken to reduce infections, including reducing risks to young children.

Vaccination: Clinical Trials

Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick: To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the number and diversity of vaccines proceeding through clinical trials, and the resources that will be required to assess their clinical and cost effectiveness in a timely manner.

Lord Markham: As part of its horizon scanning work, the Department works closely with the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation to stay abreast of vaccines under development and to factor them into future planning and prioritisation work as appropriate. This includes consideration of the expert and analytical resource that will be required to assess their effectiveness, both clinical and cost. The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency also plays a role in considering vaccines proceeding through clinical trials and considers them for licensing as they become ready.

Chickenpox: Vaccination

Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick: To ask His Majesty's Government when they intend to take forward the recommendation of the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation to introduce a vaccination programme for chickenpox.

Lord Markham: The Government is considering the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation’s recommendation, published on 14 November 2023, on including a chickenpox programme in the routine immunisation schedule for children.Potential changes to the immunisation programme need to be carefully scoped, taking into account a number of factors including product procurement, operational challenges and feasibility. The Government will decide whether to introduce a chickenpox programme when that careful work has concluded.

Coronavirus: Vaccination

Lord Framlingham: To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to investigate any possible link between COVID-19 vaccinations and increasing numbers of premature deaths from heart and circulatory conditions since 2020.

Lord Markham: There is no evidence linking excess deaths to the COVID-19 vaccine. Analysis from the Office for National Statistics, published on 25 August 2023, shows that people who died between 1 April 2021 and 31 May 2023 and who had a COVID-19 vaccine, had a lower mortality rate than those who had not been vaccinated.Each COVID-19 vaccine is only authorised once it has met robust standards of effectiveness, safety and quality set by the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA). No medicine or vaccine is completely risk-free, but the MHRA continually monitors the safety of the vaccines through a comprehensive vaccine surveillance strategy. This monitoring strategy is proactive and based on a wide range of information sources, with a dedicated team of scientists continually reviewing information to look for safety issues or any unexpected, rare events. Any information indicating a possible new safety concern is thoroughly evaluated, including through a review by the independent expert working group for COVID-19. Updated advice for healthcare professionals and patients is issued where appropriate.

NHS: Standards

Lord Warner: To ask His Majesty's Government what proportion of NHS acute hospital trusts in England met (1) their four-hour targets for A&E waiting times, and (2) their 62-day target for cancer treatment, in (a) 2009–10, and (b) 2022–23.

Lord Markham: The information is not available in the format requested, as the National Health Service does not routinely report the proportion of providers meeting accident and emergency and cancer performance standards.

Department for Education

National Tutoring Programme

Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: To ask His Majesty's Government what plansthey have to provide one-to-one and small group tuition in education settings following the conclusion of the National Tutoring Programme in August.

Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: To ask His Majesty's Government what plansthey have to provide COVID-19 catch-up learning for most disadvantaged pupils following the cessation of the National Tutoring Programme in August.

Baroness Barran: The department acted swiftly in helping all children to recover from the impact of the pandemic and made available almost £5 billion for its ambitious multi-year programmes to support education recovery. These programmes were principally targeted at disadvantaged pupils, supporting the narrowing of the disadvantage gap to pre-pandemic levels as quickly as possible. Crucially, they were also designed to have a legacy beyond the multi-year period of exceptional and additional support.Over £1 billion has been invested in tutoring over four years through the National Tutoring Programme (NTP). This has seen nearly 5 million tutoring courses commence since the programme started in November 2020, including over 2 million in each of the last two academic years. In the current academic year, 346,000 courses have started up to 5 October 2023.The department anticipates that tutoring will continue to be a staple offer from schools, with schools using core budgets and pupil premium funding to provide targeted support for those children who will benefit.Raising attainment for pupils is at the heart of this government’s agenda. The department knows that disadvantaged children have been disproportionately impacted by the pandemic and are committed to narrowing the attainment gap.The department is continuing to support pupils’ needs by investing an extra £2 billion into core schools funding both this year and next year, over and above what it had already announced at the 2021 Spending Review. The department has also announced an additional £525 million this year to support schools with the teachers’ pay award, with a further £900 million in 2024/25. This means that by next year, school funding will be more than £59.6 billion, which is the highest ever level in real terms per pupil.Schools receive the pupil premium to enable them to provide extra support to improve disadvantaged pupils’ academic and personal achievements. Pupil premium funding will rise to over £2.9 billion in 2024/25, which is an increase of £80 million from 2023/24. This represents a 10% increase in per pupil rates from 2021/22 to 2024/25.Additionally, the department is investing in 55 Education Investment Areas, where outcomes in literacy and numeracy are the poorest, including £86 million in trust capacity funding to help strong trusts to expand into areas most in need of improvement.Furthermore, students in 16-19 education during the 2024/25 academic year will continue to receive the additional 40 learning hours that the department is funding to help them catch up on the vital teaching and learning they need to progress. It is estimated that the additional hours will support the recovery of approximately one month of lost learning per academic year.

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Rivers: Sewage

Lord Birt: To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the evidence presented in the BBC Panorama programme, The Water Pollution Cover-Up, broadcast in December 2023, on sewage pollution in rivers.

Lord Douglas-Miller: Due to the seriousness of the incident at Cunsey Beck, Windermere and the fact that a definitive pollution source had not been identified, the Environment Agency (EA) asked the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) to review their response to the incident.The EA recognise things should have been done better, that is why improvements have been made to water quality monitoring in the area, including installing sensors that monitor river quality in real time. Learning has been shared within the Environment Agency to inform future responses. Under operator self-monitoring, introduced in 2009, water and sewerage companies are responsible for collecting and analysing samples of their discharges to the environment. They have a legal duty to report any breach of their permits. A failure to self-report will be taken into consideration when enforcement options are being considered. The EA assesses and records every incident report it receives – between 70,000 and 100,000 a year. They attend those incidents where there is a significant risk, with a target to attend all Category 1 and 2 serious pollution incidents.Water companies cannot downgrade an incident category. When a pollution event occurs, the initial incident categorisation is set by the Environment Agency based on the initial information, often based on a ‘worst case scenario’. The incident is given a final categorisation by the EA once the case has been fully investigated. In June 2023, the EA launched its Water Industry Transformation Programme, outlining that it would be transforming the way it regulates the sector, embedding a new approach that targets resource and interventions to uncover non-compliance and drive better performance from the water industry. This includes looking at how incidents are investigated and how they are categorised.

Water: Meters

Lord Patten: To ask His Majesty's Government how many households in England are supplied with metered water; and what percentage of all households this represents.

Lord Douglas-Miller: There was a total of 24,009,150 household properties based on data reported by companies in England through their annual review of the Water Resources Management Plan for the year 2022/23. Of this, the total number of metered household properties was 14,299,320 and a further 374,860 were metered household void properties. As a result, for 2022/23 59.6% of household properties across English water companies were metered excluding void properties or 61.1% household properties were metered including void properties. Note - a void household property is a household property that is connected to public water supply but not currently being billed by the water company as they have been classified as empty.

Water Supply

Lord Patten: To ask His Majesty's Government how many households in England are supplied with private sources of water; and what percentage of all households this represents.

Lord Douglas-Miller: In England, in 2022, local authorities reported 34,904 private water supplies serving 956,429 people, approximately 1.7% of the population. These figures include commercial premises such as farms, bed and breakfast accommodation, hotels, sporting clubs, manufacturers and other businesses as well as shared supplies which could supply 2 properties or a hamlet. We do not have separate figures for domestic supplies to households and the figures only include private water supplies that local authorities are aware or have been made aware of. There is no requirement for private water supply owners or occupiers to report themselves to their local authority.

Water Charges: Disadvantaged

Lord Taylor of Warwick: To ask His Majesty's Government, following reports that water bills are due to rise by an average of six per cent from April, whatsteps they are taking to provide additional support to households facing financial pressures.

Lord Douglas-Miller: I am very mindful that consumers are concerned about their bills. For this reason, the Government expects all water companies to ensure customers are aware of the support schemes available – including bill discount schemes, payment holidays, adjusting payment plans and support for customers in managing their personal finances. I encourage customers to access the Consumer Council for Water’s Advice Hub, which has information and useful tools to help customers reduce their bills or access financial support. To support people with the cost of living, the Government has put in place a substantial package of support. Further information can be found at GOV.UK.

River Thames: Flood Control

Lord Stone of Blackheath: To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the correlation between (1) the release of floodwater from the Jubilee River channel as occurred in 2014 and 2024, and (2) subsequent levels of floodwater and property damage, and the extent to which vulnerable local people were unable to receive social services.

Lord Douglas-Miller: The Jubilee Flood Relief Channel is part of the Maidenhead Windsor and Eton Flood Alleviation Scheme (MWEFAS) that reduces the risk of flooding to approximately 3,000 properties in Maidenhead, Windsor and Eton. The Jubilee Flood Relief Channel always has some water flowing through it. In flood conditions, we split some of the water away from the River Thames through the Jubilee. The Jubilee provides extra space for this water before it rejoins the River Thames at Datchet. It is not designed to reduce flood risk to communities upstream or downstream of the scheme. It does not adversely impact communities downstream. We operate weir gates at Taplow to control the amount of water being split into the Jubilee Flood Relief Channel. As the flow in the River Thames increases, we open the gates gradually in small increments to allow water to flow through the channel. The Environment Agency reviews the performance of their Flood and Coastal Risk Management assets to ensure they continue to perform as designed to protect homes and communities. Following flooding in 2003, river modelling was completed to re-examine any impacts from the Jubilee Flood Relief Channel on downstream communities. The results showed that there would be very little difference in the flows at Windsor, and the downstream water levels, with and without the Jubilee Flood Relief Channel being operated. In February 2014 over 1000+ properties flooded internally across the Thames area, with the greatest numbers of these of these in the Lower Thames in Berkshire and Surrey. The flooding was very prolonged and lasted from February 2014 through to March, with many communities impacted along the Thames, such as at Datchet, Wraysbury, Egham, Chertsey, Staines and communities further downstream through Surrey. There were no reported properties flooded internally in Windsor in 2014.In January 2024, Storm Henk resulted in heavy and widespread rainfall falling on saturated ground in a short space of time. There had been flooding in some local areas in December 2023 primarily affecting tributaries of the River Thames. The total volume of flow which passed down the Jubilee flood relief channel appears similar to 2014. The Environment Agency is currently receiving and collating reports on the number of properties that may have been impacted. Current information indicates around 300 properties may have flooded internally across the Thames Area. Following a significant flood incident, the Environment Agency reviews all areas of incident response including partnership working to understand impacts and actions to better prepare for future events. We are currently undertaking this following the January 2024 flooding. Our Environment Agency online portal Citizen Space holds a suite of useful information relating to the Jubilee River including videos and fact sheets and can be located under Maidenhead Windsor and Eton Flood Alleviation Scheme.

Agriculture: Vacancies

Lord Rosser: To ask His Majesty's Government what estimate they have made of the level of labour shortages in the farming sector; what measures they are taking to manage such shortages; and what assessment they have made of the effectiveness of such measures.

Lord Douglas-Miller: Defra is working closely with our food and farming sectors and across Government, to understand labour demand and supply, and help our world-leading growers, farmers and food producers access the labour they need, including both permanent and seasonal workforce requirements. To reduce the risk of seasonal labour shortages in horticulture and the poultry sector, the Government announced last May that there would be 45,000 Seasonal Worker visas for the horticulture sector in 2024, with a further 2000 for seasonal poultry workers, ensuring these sectors can plan their workforce needs for the year ahead with confidence. This provides sufficient visas for growers to access all the workers they need, and if more visas are necessary within the year an additional 10,000 could be released. Reports on the Seasonal Worker visa route are available at GOV.UK. To help support the issue of labour shortages and inform future decisions on labour across the sector, the Government commissioned John Shropshire to carry out an Independent Review into Labour Shortages in the Food Supply Chain throughout 2022 and 2023. John Shropshire’s Review considered how automation, domestic labour and migrant labour could contribute to tackling labour shortages in our sectors, including farming. This report was published on 30 June 2023 and the Government response – which will also be informed by the Review of Automation in Horticulture – is expected to be published in early 2024. The Government response will consider all ten of the recommendations made in John Shropshire’s Review, covering the four themes of Recruitment & Retention, Skills, Data and Automation. At the same time as the response, the Government will set out how it will support the sector to access the labour it needs alongside actions to reduce the sector’s reliance on migrant labour including via our work on automation and promoting domestic labour procurement and training.

Treasury

Russia: Ukraine

Lord Campbell-Savours: To ask His Majesty's Government what (1) military, and (2) non-military, departmental budgets have been allocated for all forms of support for the war in Ukraine in the financial year 2024–2025.

Baroness Vere of Norbiton: The UK’s total support for Ukraine committed since February 2022 now amounts to almost £12 billion, including £4.1 billion of fiscal support via World Bank loan guarantees. The Prime Minister recently announced £2.5 billion of military assistance for Ukraine in financial year 2024-2025. No Department is being asked to contribute to this package, the funding will be drawn from the Reserve. The exact amount of non-military support in 2024-2025 remains to be confirmed.

Wales Office

First Minister of Wales

Lord Wigley: To ask His Majesty's Government how many times since taking office the Prime Minister has met the First Minister of Wales; and whether the Prime Minister plans to meet the current First Minister before the latter’s retirement.

Baroness Swinburne: I refer the Noble Lord to the answer I gave to question HL1907 on 1 February 2024. I also refer the Noble Lord to my Rt Hon Friend the Prime Minister’s comments about the First Minister’s retirement at Prime Minister’s Questions on 13 December 2023. Details of the Prime Minister’s future official meetings and visits will be announced in the usual way.

Department for Transport

Tankers: English Channel

The Lord Bishop of St Albans: To ask His Majesty's Government whatassessment they have made of the number of ships in the ‘dark fleet’ passing through the English Channel carrying Russian oil and oil products in (1) 2020, (2) 2021, (3) 2022, and (4) 2023.

Lord Davies of Gower: Definitions of the ‘shadow fleet’ or ‘dark fleet’ vary and so it is not possible to provide accurate figures in relation to the English Channel. This practice has emerged since the introduction of the Russian Oil Services ban and Oil Price Cap Exception by the Price Cap Coalition of the G7, the European Union and Australia in December 2022. However, the Joint Maritime Security Centre provides Department for Transport officials with daily vessel tracking reports for Vessels of Interest within or thought to be heading towards the UK Marine Area. This can include ships where a Russian link is identified, or where the vessel has transited from a Russian port, or engaged in a Ship-to-Ship transfer with a vessel which has departed from a Russian port.

Tankers: Insurance

The Lord Bishop of St Albans: To ask His Majesty's Government whether emergency planning is in hand in the event of an uninsured tanker leaking oil in British waters.

Lord Davies of Gower: Regardless of the insurance status of a vessel, the UK has well-established plans/protocols for the response to an oil spill. The Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) is the National Competent Authority for at-sea pollution response. MCA Counter Pollution and Salvage (CPS), under the direction of HM Coastguard, are custodians of the national pollution response resources which comprise specialist oil containment and recovery equipment and dispersant. These are supported by manned aircraft for spill surveillance, verification and quantification and aerial dispersant spraying capability. Personnel and resources are in place 24 hours a day, 365 days of the year and provide an incident management and response capability anywhere within the UK’s Exclusive Economic Zone. Regular exercises are undertaken to test national multi-agency spill response procedures.Whilst shoreline pollution response is led by local authorities and devolved nations, MCA CPS will support pollution response along the UK shoreline using nationally held containment and recovery capability held in the stockpiles.Incident management, specialist response teams, and liaison personnel are also available and will be activated by the MCA as required. As with at-sea pollution response, regular engagement with local authorities in response exercises is undertaken. The resources held by the MCA are commensurate with a Tier 3 national response requirement as described within the National Contingency Plan for Pollution from Shipping and Offshore Installations.

Tankers: English Channel

The Lord Bishop of St Albans: To ask His Majesty's Government whether they keep recordsof the occasions when oil tankers in the English Channel have turned off their transponders.

Lord Davies of Gower: This data is not regularly collated in this form. The Joint Maritime Security Centre provides regular reporting on vessels of interest in the UK Marine Area.

High Speed 2 Line

Lord Framlingham: To ask His Majesty's Government what estimate they have made of the cost of completing the first phase of HS2; and what is the projected completion date.

Lord Davies of Gower: As set out in the Network North command paper, for the historic Phase 1 scope DfT officials have estimated a provisional range of £45 billion to £54 billion.Given these cost assessments were made before the decision was taken to cancel Phase 2, the Department has asked HS2 Ltd to consider the revised scope of the project and provide an action plan on how it will deliver this at the lowest reasonable cost. We will be able to provide more information in due course.Delivery remains on track for the initial high-speed services between Old Oak Common in west London and Birmingham Curzon Street by 2029 to 2033. An updated delivery-into-service range for services to Euston will be provided in due course.

Railways: East of England

Baroness Jones of Moulsecoomb: To ask His Majesty's Government whenthey will provide the full funds to upgrade the rail junctions at Haughley and Ely; and on what timetable they expect the works to be completed.

Lord Davies of Gower: The recently announced Network North programme of investment included confirmation of government’s support for the Ely Area Capacity Enhancement (EACE) programme and upgrading Haughley Junction, and the substantial benefits this will bring, including a doubling of passenger services on the Ely to Kings Lynn and Ipswich to Peterborough routes together with additional freight paths into the Port of Felixstowe. Network Rail have developed the scheme to Outline Business Case stage; next steps will involve further investment case development and delivery planning.

Motorcycles: Carbon Emissions

Lord Fox: To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by the Parliamentary Under Secretary at the Department for Transport on 28 November 2023 (3453),what plans they have to grow and develop the supply chain for L-Category vehicles this year.

Lord Fox: To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by the Parliamentary Under Secretary at the Department for Transport on 28 November 2023 (3453), how much they will invest ingrowing and developing the L-Category supply chain this year.

Lord Fox: To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by the Parliamentary Secretary of State at the Department for Transport on 28 November 2023 (3453),what support they plan to give the L-Category community this year.

Lord Fox: To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Department for Transport on 28 November 2023 (3453), what assessment they have made of their current role in theL-Category community.

Lord Davies of Gower: The Government has ongoing engagement with the UK’s L-category industry and rider group representatives, particularly in support of its transition to zero emissions. The Government welcomed the Motorcycle Industry Association (MCIA) and Zemo Partnership’s joint action plan when published in February 2022 and has been supporting its delivery where appropriate. In support of actions 2 and 3 the Government made up to £350,000 of funding available for research and development projects to develop and grow the zero emission motorcycle component and system supply chain in the UK. In response to action 6, the Department is engaged with the MCIA’s recent licensing review proposals for all battery electric L-Category vehicles. The Department continues to work with the recently established “Powered Light Vehicle Community” to address action 9.

North Wales Coast Line: Electrification

Lord Wigley: To ask His Majesty's Government when they expect work on electrifyingthe rail line between Crewe and Holyhead to start; what estimate they have made of the cost of this work; and when they expect the project to be completed.

Lord Davies of Gower: We are working closely with the rail industry to develop and deliver on the Government priorities outlined in the Prime Minister’s Network North announcement, which includes an unprecedented £1 billion investment to fund the electrification of the North Wales Main Line. We are in the early stages of planning the next steps for the North Wales electrification scheme, including the costs and programme for development and delivery. We will share further information when that work is complete.

Roads: Repairs and Maintenance

Lord Mawson: To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of (1) the condition of the road network in England, particularly with regard to potholes, and (2) the efficacy of measures designed to address such road maintenance issues.

Lord Mawson: To ask His Majesty's Government whatsums they have provided for the purposes of road maintenance to (1) Oxfordshire, and (2) Gloucestershire, county councils in the most recent financial year for which figures are available; and what assessment they have made of the extent to which this money has actually been spent on road maintenance.

Lord Mawson: To ask His Majesty's Government whatis their estimate of the percentage of the road network in England that is a danger to motorists as a result of inadequate road surface maintenance.

Lord Mawson: To ask His Majesty's Government whatassessment they have made of the costs to motorists arising from potholes.

Lord Mawson: To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the efficacy of local authority processes whereby motorists claim for vehicular damage arising from a lack of adequate road surface maintenance.

Lord Davies of Gower: Local highway authorities including Gloucestershire and Oxfordshire County Councils have a duty under Section 41 of the Highways Act 1980 (as amended) to maintain the highways network in their area. Dealing with any compensation claims due to possible defects, including potholes, on the highway network is entirely the responsibility of the relevant highway authority, and the Department has made no formal assessment of this matter. The Department is providing over £1 billion of highway maintenance capital grant funding to local authorities in the current financial year. This funding goes to eligible local highway authorities across England, outside of London and the mayoral combined authorities who are in receipt of City Region Sustainable Transport Settlements. As a result of the funding increases announced at Budget 2023 and in the Prime Minister’s Network North programme, local highway authorities in England are generally receiving around 30% more highway maintenance funding from the Department for Transport in the current financial year than in the previous financial year. The Network North programme includes an unprecedented increase of £8.3 billion for local highway maintenance over the period up to 2033/34 to help fix the blight of potholes on our local highway networks up and down the country. Funding allocations for all eligible local authorities are published on gov.uk. Gloucestershire County Council received a total of £29.1 million of highway maintenance capital grant funding, and Oxfordshire County Council a total of £27.2 million, in the 2023/24 financial year. In each case this was an increase of around 30% compared to the 2022/23 financial year. The Department for Transport has asked local highway authorities to publish on their websites by 15 March 2024 plans setting out how the additional Network North highway maintenance funding will be used, and thereafter quarterly reports on how the funding has been spent. The Department takes the condition of local roads very seriously. Well-planned, proactive, and good quality maintenance works are vital in preventing prevent potholes and other defects from forming. Councils that do this effectively get better value for every pound spent. To ensure transparency in the condition of our local road networks, road condition statistics are published annually by the Department and are available on gov.uk. The Government is working with the British Standards Institution and the Transport Research Laboratory to develop a new data standard for assessing road condition to help local authorities identify, assess, and deal with road defects, including potholes.

Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities

Cheshunt Lakeside: Insolvency

Baroness Taylor of Stevenage: To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the collapse of Cheshunt Lakeside Developments Ltd with reported debts to Broxbourne Borough Council of over £1 million and to Homes England of £18.7 million; and what is the likelihood of recovery of those debts.

Baroness Scott of Bybrook: Local authorities are independent bodies and Broxbourne Borough Council's recovery of debt is in the first instance a matter for the council. Nonetheless, the Government stands ready to speak to any council that has concerns about its ability to manage its finances or faces pressures for which it has not planned.Homes England is working closely with the insolvency administrators for Cheshunt Lakeside development site. The Agency is keen to see a workable solution that allows housing delivery to continue. Until the sale of the site has been concluded, the Agency is not able to comment on any potential loss in relation to its recoverable loan.

Department for Energy Security and Net Zero

Trawsfynydd Power Station: Construction

Lord Wigley: To ask His Majesty's Government what is their current assessment of the suitability of constructing a small modular nuclear reactor at the nuclear power station in Trawsfynydd in Gwynedd.

Lord Callanan: Trawsfynydd could be a candidate for new nuclear in future and is one of a number of potential sites that could host new civil nuclear projects, subject to National planning policy, regulatory approvals and technical assessments. As a first step towards developing a new nuclear National Policy Statement, Government is consulting on a proposed policy for determining how new nuclear power stations will be sited beyond 2025, including the potential for Small Modular Reactors and other advanced nuclear technologies. Whilst no decision on sites has been taken, Great British Nuclear is working with Government to support access to potential new nuclear sites, and is open to discuss potential opportunities with site owners.

Department for Business and Trade

Horizon IT System: Prosecutions

Lord Sikka: To ask His Majesty's Government how muchfunding they approved for prosecutions of sub-postmasters by the Post Office, if any.

Lord Offord of Garvel: The Government has not provided funding for prosecution of sub-postmasters.

Horizon IT System

Lord Sikka: To ask His Majesty's Government what information they have about the application by the Post Office in 2019to recuse Mr Justice Fraser from the High Court case of Bates and Others vs Post Office Ltd.

Lord Offord of Garvel: This is a matter which we expect that the statutory Post Office Horizon IT Inquiry under Sir Wyn Williams will examine. The Government is cooperating fully with the Inquiry’s work and should not pre-judge its findings.

Horizon IT System: Parliamentary Commissioner for Administration

Lord Framlingham: To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byLord Offord of Garvel on 30 January (HL1629) which noted that the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman does not have “any live investigations relating to the Post Office Horizon scandal”, whether any sub-postmaster contacted the Ombudsman in relation to this matter at any time since its inception.

Lord Offord of Garvel: The Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman (PHSO) reports to Parliament directly and is held to account through the Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee. Therefore, the Department for Business and Trade is unable to respond on their behalf. PHSO has confirmed that they were contacted regarding a complaint from a sub-postmaster in relation to the Post Office Horizon scandal.